<h2>DESCRIPTION</h2>

<em>g.rename</em> allows the user to rename data base
element files in the user's current mapset.  The user can
specify all necessary information to <em>g.rename</em> on
the command line, by specifying:  the type of data base
element to be renamed (one or more of:  <b>raster</b>,
<b>raster_3d</b>, <b>vector</b>, <b>icon</b>, <b>labels</b>,
<b>region</b>, and <b>group</b>); the specific file element
in the current mapset to be renamed (<em>old</em>); and the
new name to be assigned to this file element (<em>new</em>)
in the current mapset.  The file element <em>old</em> is
then renamed to <em>new</em>.

<p>
Users can also simply type <em>g.rename --help</em> without
arguments on the command line, to receive a menu of
existing data base element types and files from which to
choose for possible renaming:

<div class="code"><pre>
       raster   raster map(s) to be renamed
    raster_3d   3D raster map(s) to be renamed
       vector   vector map(s) to be renamed
       labels   paint label file(s) to be renamed
       region   region definition(s) to be renamed
        group   imagery group(s) to be renamed
</pre></div>


<h2>NOTES</h2>

If a data base element has support files (e.g., as is
commonly the case with raster maps), these support files
also are renamed.

<p>
If the user attempts to rename a file to itself by setting
the <em>new</em> file name equal to the <em>old</em> file
name (e.g., <b>g.rename raster=soils,soils</b>),
<em>g.rename</em> will not execute the rename, but instead
state that no rename is needed.  However, <em>g.rename</em>

will allow the user to overwrite other existing files in
the current mapset by making the <em>new</em> file name
that of an already existing file.
<p>For portability reasons, <em>g.rename</em> is ignoring case of
names. To change the case of a map name, first rename the map
to a name which differs by more than case, then rename it to
the intended name.

<h2>EXAMPLE</h2>

<div class="code"><pre>
# rename raster map
g.rename raster=oldrast,newrast

# rename vector map
g.rename vector=oldvect,newvect

# combined renaming
g.rename raster=oldrast,newrast vector=oldvect,newvect
</pre></div>

<h2>SEE ALSO</h2>

<em>
<a href="g.copy.html">g.copy</a>,
<a href="g.list.html">g.list</a>,
<a href="g.remove.html">g.remove</a>
</em>

<h2>AUTHOR</h2>

Michael Shapiro,
U.S.Army Construction Engineering 
Research Laboratory

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